Circular
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Circular

1 The Maritime Safety Committee, at its seventy-first session (19 to 28 May 1999), having approved the Interim guidelines for a simplified evacuation analysis of ro-ro passenger ships (MSC/Circ.909) as a guide for the implementation of SOLAS regulation II-2/28-1.3, requested the Sub-Committee on Fire Protection (FP) to also develop guidelines on evacuation analysis for passenger ships in general and high-speed passenger craft.

2 The Committee, at its seventy-fourth session (30 May to 8 June 2001), following a recommendation of the forty-fifth session of the FP Sub-Committee (8 to 12 January 2001), approved the Interim guidelines for a simplified evacuation analysis of high-speed passenger craft (MSC/Circ.1001). The Committee, at its eightieth session (11 to 20 May 2005), after having considered a proposal by the forty-ninth session of the FP Sub-Committee (24 to 28 January 2005) in light of the experience gained in the application of the aforementioned interim guidelines, approved the Guidelines for a simplified evacuation analysis of high-speed passenger craft (MSC/Circ.1166), which superseded MSC/Circ.1001, together with the worked example appended thereto.

3 The Committee, at its seventy-fifth session (15 to 24 May 2002), further approved the Interim guidelines on evacuation analyses for new and existing passenger ships (MSC/Circ.1033) and invited Member States to collect and submit to the FP Sub-Committee for further consideration, any information and data resulting from research and development activities, full-scale tests and findings on human behaviour which may be relevant for the necessary future upgrading of the interim guidelines.

4 The Committee, at its eighty-third session (3 to 12 October 2007), approved the Guidelines on evacuation analyses for new and existing passenger ships (MSC.1/Circ.1238), including ro-ro passenger ships.

5 The Committee, at its ninety-sixth session (11 to 20 May 2016), approved the Revised Guidelines on evacuation analyses for new and existing passenger ships, as set out in the annexes, as a guide for the implementation of amendments to SOLAS regulation II-2/13.3.2.7footnote, making evacuation analysis mandatory not only for ro-ro passenger ships but also for other passenger ships constructed on or after 1 January 2020.

6 The annexed revised guidelines offer the possibility of using two distinct methods:

  • .1 a simplified evacuation analysis (annex 2); and/or

  • .2 an advanced evacuation analysis (annex 3).

7 The assumptions inherent within the simplified method are by their nature limiting. As the complexity of the ships increases (through the mix of passenger types, accommodation types, number of decks and number of stairways), these assumptions become less representative of reality. In such cases, the use of the advanced method would be preferred. However, in early design iterations of the ship, the simplified method has merit due to its relative ease of use and its ability to provide an approximation to expected evacuation performance.

8 It is also to be noted that the acceptable evacuation durations in these guidelines are based on an analysis of fire risk.

9 Member States are invited to bring the annexed guidelines (annexes 1 to 3) to the attention of all those concerned and, in particular, to:

  • .1 recommend them to use these guidelines when conducting evacuation analyses, early in the design process, on new ro-ro passenger ships in compliance with SOLAS regulation II-2/13.7.4 (which entered into force on 1 July 2002) and SOLAS regulation II-2/13.3.2.7 (which is expected to enter into force on 1 January 2020);

  • .2 recommend them to use these guidelines when conducting evacuation analyses, early in the design process, on new passenger ships other than ro-ro passenger ships constructed on or after 1 January 2020 carrying more than 36 passengers in compliance with SOLAS regulation II-2/13.3.2.7 (which is expected to enter into force on 1 January 2020); and

  • .3 encourage them to conduct evacuation analyses on existing passenger ships using these guidelines.

10 Member States are also encouraged to:

  • .1 collect and submit to the Sub-Committee on Ship Systems and Equipment for further consideration, any information and data resulting from research and development activities, full-scale tests and findings on human behaviour, which may be relevant for the necessary future upgrading of the present guidelines;

  • .2 submit to the Sub-Committee on Ship Systems and Equipment information on experience gained in the implementation of the guidelines; and

  • .3 use the Guidance on validation/verification of evacuation simulation tools provided in annex 3 to the present circular when assessing the ability of evacuation simulation tools to perform an advanced evacuation analysis.

11 This circular supersedes MSC.1/Circ.1238.

Parent topic: MSC.1/Circular.1533 – Revised Guidelines on Evacuation Analysis for New and Existing Passenger Ships – (6 June 2016)
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